Served with smoked ribs; this was tasty; the nose still had a bit of oak, but followed by blackberry jam, a hint of spice, and a bit of herbs. The palate is big and the alcohol is not subtle, but it is still all in a smooth package. Good with the ribs.
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I don't drink much Zin these days, but this was really quite a nice example of mature zinfandel. The nose shows rich dark fruit, a bit of spice, a hint of leather, and some floral notes. The palate, while big, bold, and rich, doesn't feel too hot (just a hint of heat which I thought would be more) and has reasonable acidity. This paired quite nicely with some smoked ribs and would be a good partner for many things off the grill.
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This bottle does not taste like the same bottle as its sisters. Definitely something off on this bottle. At first I thought it was corked, but there was no crescendo of TCA funk building as the wine collected air. But it consistently tasted dull and lacked focus ,,, and yes, had that TCA cardboard and wet fur aspect. The blend consists of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. A heavy shadow of sediment surrounds the neck of the bottle. We had also pulled a Pagani ‘09 to taste along side this bottle. The ‘09 was a clear winnner. 15% alc. With pork BBQ on Covid-19 lockdown Easter day. No Recommendation due to being an off bottle.
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Splash decanted for 30 minutes and drank over next 2 hours. Huge nose of strawberry while decanting. Great example of a mature Zinfandel. Complex mix of spices and of red and dark fruits. Smooth.
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Enjoyable zin, but disappointing based on my notes from one year ago (94). Perhaps, there has been some bottle variation in this wine. The fruit seemed to be drying out a bit, and the wine more one dimensional. One more bottle left in the cellar, and I'm drinking it over the next 12 months.
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On the second night of the fantastic blackberry Zin short ribs, we pulled the wine actually recommended for this recipe - a Ridge Pagani. This is my first impression of the ‘08 bottling. The blend consists of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. The rhubarb is not as dominant as I would have thought, but it does present. More bright cherry, plum and brown sugar with a few sprinkles of cinnamon and coffee. The dusty tannins are fully integrated. This is very much ready to drink and enjoy. A shadow of sediment surrounds the neck of the bottle. 15% alc. With (beef) shortribs (with a recipe from Ridge) (We had the 07 Pagani with a G&G recipe!). Recommended.
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Fully mature zin. Still plush red fruit but at peak. Nice complexity, bit of bramble and earth, fruit more in the pomegranate and red plum zone. Drink now.
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Wow, this full bodied zin is showing very well now. Deep, rich fruits, blackberries, black cherries, and hints of licorice. Still deep in color, this is a well balanced wine with a long finish. Impressive! I think this is probably at it's peak, but I'm going to wait a year or two before drinking my next bottle. No doubt that Ridge zinfandels can age...
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Finally opened my third, and last bottle of 08 Ridge Pagani Ranch. First bottle we had in 2013. We were afraid that a zin wouldnt hold up much past 5 years, so we opened the second in 2014. The wine was so powerful that I decided that the final bottle should be cellared several years. Fast forward:the wine is showing beautifully, but is at peak. The huge body and spicy, acidity I first tasted has given way to more subtle, aged Bordeaux character, but with an extra Zin kick. The tannins have smoothed, oak is toned down and more balanced.
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Pnp. Improved with air. Or I thought so. Table wasn't sure. Very popular wine. Everyone else would have scored it higher. I think it's in a good spot but could have some aging potential. I'm drinking the rest of mine. Fruit, balance, power. Got it all.
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Dark translucent pomegranate red. Concentration. Fruity. Evolved notes of smokey cherries and raspberries, roasted coconut, POM juice, dill-garrigue, and cassis -- all of which are very attractive, but there is some weediness as well, so it misses out on a much higher score. Lots of body and an intense rendition of its aromas, quite weighty as in raspberry liqueur rather than raspberry jam, so there was a good base of tannin, and there is a lot of relief and lift to the palate. Liqueur-like length. 5 + 12+ 17 + 7
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Crazy new oak filling up the bouquet, all anise liqueur, char, and toasted coconut. Not my thing. Shame, the palate is terrific, lots of cool, silky fruit with well-judged acid. Actually pretty dry by Ridge standards with a nice tangy finish. The oak could integrate eventually, making this a lip smacking pleasure to drink. Oakphobes need to avoid for a while though.
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Still a deep dark garnet color. A brambly nose and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, along with spice, black and white pepper, oak. Full bodied, rich and intense fruit. Tannins are more resolved now, but still slightly apparent. Good acid and structure. Nice finish. Still has a year or so left for appreciation. Paired nicely with hamburger with roasted mushrooms and onions. Score 92-93.
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Decanted for an hour and this was best after 2. Dark Fruit and spice with medium tannins make this a really nice bottle. Had this after the 07 Lytton and I got more depth on the Pagani.
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Great nose that forecast a wonderful sophisticated zinfandel mix. Complicated blueberry/strawberry fruit with a slightly sweet up-tempo finish. WOW what a nice wine!!!!
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Last bottle of the '08 and it was a nice one. Consistent with previous notes. This has loads of red and black fruit combined with some cinnamon and spice notes, and a nice texture. This does veer toward being a bit sweet and jammy, but does not come across as over the top and alcoholic. I pairs well with BBQ. For those who tend to only like savory wines, this probably would not appeal. But very good for the style.
This is finally ready to drink. Decant for 30 minutes (and also for sediment) and it will open up nicely. Delicious on the nose and the palate without being overly jammy. Good balance and paired well with our steak.
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This bottle was awesome. Luscious dark fruits balanced by lots of baking spices. Really delicious. Has smoothed out a bit since we had it a year or so ago. K really liked this a lot. Just enough acidity to keep it from being gloppy, and also paired pretty well with Italian food. But really enjoyable on its own too. Heat from the alcohol is not noticeable but peeks out a bit as this warms up above 65 deg. Best served at cellar temperature. Wish I had more than one more bottle and hope that the 09 is nearly as good. I love the fact that these Ridge zins benefit from some bottle age.
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nice slightly older Ridge zin. Nice fruit, peppery and spicy, and a finish that's rounded off the sharp edges nicely since the first bottle. One of those "Oh, that's right, THIS is why we keep buying Ridge zin" bottles. Which is saying something, since Pagani is about #3 or #4 in my personal Ridge pecking order, after Lytton Springs, Geyserville, and some years, York Creek. Drink in the next year or so.
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In 4/2011 I purchased several cases of the 2008 Ridge Zins and Zin blends with the hope that these wines would live up to their 90+ ratings; well they do. Just over two years since I last drank a Pagani Ranch and they could not be drinking any better than now. Gone is the slightly sweet, jammy wine noted previously (7/13/11 note) replaced with a finely textured wine with just a hint of heat when opened, more spice and herb than fruit, a super long finish, and a hint of cooked fruit which leads me to think the wine may not make it to a 2019 "drink by" date.
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Just an awesome Zin.....paired well with the bet ribs I ever smoked. Very long finish that completely hides the high alcohol content. Knocked me on my a$$. Really glad I have more.....this wine is special.
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This wine has softened a great deal over the past year and now has the flavor and taste that go along with the expectations of a Ridge Zinfandel. Not nearly the heat this had a year ago. Lot's of cherry and other red fruit.
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Popped into the Enomatic and tasted several times over the course of a week in different contexts. Overall, I think the CT scores here are about right. This has loads of black and red fruit, a nice viscous mouthfeel, and clear baking spice notes (incl cinnamon) on the finish. The acidity is adequate to keep it from feeling gloppy, and the tannins are noticeable but not bitter or aggressive. The 15.0% alcohol peeks out in some contexts, especially as this warms up above around 65 deg. I recommend drinking it around 60 deg. 20-30 minutes of air definitely helped this open up and round out.
We initially had this with chicken cacciatore and that was not a good pairing. This wine was way too big for that dish and the acidity of the tomato sauce did not mesh well with the wine. The alcohol was really apparent in this food pairing. A week later, we had this again with slow-cooked beef short ribs in a mushroom and onion sauce over mashed potatoes, and that was a great pairing for this wine. I also find this wine very pleasant just to drink on its own (at the right temperature).
Overall, quite good stuff. Have 2 bottles left and there is no rush on them. This is fine to drink now but I think another couple of years in the cellar will smooth it out a bit and probably do it good. Would buy again at $30, and will be looking for some of the 2010 as I already have 09s in the cellar. Ridge is a great producer. Among my recent Ridge experiences, I did like the 09 Geyserville better than this overall, however.
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Medium red color. Aromas of roasted cherry, vanilla, raspberry jam, and dust. Palate has some roasted, gritty tannins that integrate with air time. Flavors are bright, red fruit with some cooked fruit elements, vanilla, and some grape elements that carry into the medium-long finish. Needs time to integrate and develop, but drinkable now. Drink or hold.
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Beautiful wine. Ridge always performs well. Cherry, currant, a little mocha, some nice black pepper & spice notes. This clocks in at 15% alcohol, but doesn't come across so high. Drink now or in the next two years. (39 views)
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This is indeed a big wine. But then again, so are many other wines from California. Knowing this, I paired it with some steaks. It has a nice nose, full body, dark fruits + some oak, and enough strength to compete with a well-seasoned rib-eye. However, it falls short on flavor, complexity, and the WOW factor that many 90+ Cali wines have. It was a very good wine, but I was expecting a great wine.
The wine was allowed to breathe for about 60 minutes. It opened up a bit during that time. By 1.5 hour mark, it was fully consumed bu guests. I would say it went from an 87 to 89 during that time. I think this can improve a bit, but I cannot conceive of it reaching a score of 94 or the type of complexity mentioned by a certain professional reviewer. I will wait another year or so before opening up my second bottle. Lets see what happens then.
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Too much heat. Too much alchohol. Wife loves it, not in my wheel house. Even after decanting for a few hours, this one just never smooth's out. Not impressed.
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Concentrated inky purple with beautiful bright dark ruby highlights. This is pure, clean, rich zinfandel at its best. Manages to display beautiful high pitched flower notes with deep, earthy, concentrated dark berry aromas and flavors. Very deep and solid. This wine means business. For me, this bottling takes the lead in 2008 out of Ridge's top three, the others of course being Lytton Springs and Geyserville.
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It has me wondering when Ridge picked this zin versus their "late harvest" zin. I'm guessing maybe 12.5 hours as this is definitely porty. Good fruit, but a bit...did I say "porty" already?!? Still, solid bottle of wine. If you want to have fun, it's even better as a blending wine. Have a slightly thin zin or simple petite syrah? Add a dollop of Pagani! Your merlot tasting bland once again (for the 52nd straight week)? Add a smidge of Pagani. Your Two-Buck Chuck just not doing it for you this evening? The Pagani and you deserve better, so don't bother. Switch back to Bud Light and consider yourself an informed consumer.
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Still purple at the rim; deep dark garnet color. Aromas of brambly fruit (blackberry & raspberry), black cherry, spice, black pepper, oak. Same robust flavors. A smooth, jammy, rich fruit concentration in the mouth. I get a long spicy finish. Paired very nicely with a spicy pork sausage dish prepared by my wife.
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Dark, spicy, ripe, sweet, some oak, full bordering on heavy. Blackberry and blueberry. Nice mouthfeel. Not much structure or complexity but you don't turn to Zinfandel for that. Maybe a bit pricey for a monochromatic wine.
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Nice and should improve over time. Dark in color with aromas of floral, spice, blueberries and sour cherry. Medium to long finish and showing good acidity.
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Zindfandel and Ribfest 2011 (Judith's House): Dark red/purple color. 2.5 hour decant, and needed a little more to fully open. Blend of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante and 5% Petit Sirah. Nose is blackberry preserves, some blueberry, kirsch, oak. This palate on this seemed a bit lighter initially, but seemed to round up quite a bit after about an additional 30 minutes. Nice core of black fruits, blackberry and black cherry, some spices and oak on the medium plus finish. Started a bit slower than the Geyserville, but then really began to shine. This was my #2 WOTN and group #2 WOTN with 75% of the second place votes.
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Terrific Zin. Layers and layers of rich fruit. As it opened up, some spice notes also emerged that were nice. Don't get me wrong, the fruit is fully in charge here, but I can see where this will balance out and show some nice secondaries over time. Right now, it is still extremely enjoyable for its power, pureness, and richness. Paired well with pizza. Will buy more fur sure if I can still get it.
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Wow...what a powder keg! Awesome blackfruits, bramble, and smooth as a baby's ass. Best zin I have had in a VERY long time. Served with chimichura grilled pork tenderloin.
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Rich, full bodied, dark purple, fruit and spice on the nose and palate, very nicely balanced with an excellent finish. While currently a little on the sweet, jammy side, another year or two in the bottle will hopefully bring out the full potential of this wine. Drank with a spicy Mexican lasagna (black beans, salsa, chicken, cheese, tortillas and few other items) and the wine stood up to it and balanced the meal nicely.
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Was served at a dinner party, a wine lover's friend's house 3 nights ago. Dark, inky, purple-garnet in color & viscosity. Deep nose spicy wet underbrush & los of subtle fruits. A bit hot & tight on the nose which also came across on the palate. Lots of deep fruits (red & black berries), curants, spiciness & herbal notes.
OK!?
Now here's what I think. The wine did evolve in the glass & started to show very nice & well integrated flavors of fruits, spicines, and terroir character. Full bodied, rich, and well balanced wth a good finish. BUT . . . it did take almost two hours to start showing that . . . and I felt that its potential lays way off still at least 2-3 years away.
Easily capable of reaching the WS 92pts/WA 94pts that it has received . . . but NOT right now.
Needs age . . . so am gonna pick up a couple of bottles & lay them down a while!!
Tasted immediately after opening. Very dark purple, almost black. Nose of bramble, tar and ripe black fruit. Lush blackberry, black cherry and spice. Medium texture that carries the weight of the impressive fruit well. Good balance and a long finish. Exemplary Zinfandel. Best of the year so far.
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Purple color. Richly-oaked and pushing super-ripe cherry fruit and cinnamon aromas into your face; it borders on an assault. Medium tannin, medium low acidity. A mild alcohol burn on the palate. This wine proved to be a room divider at dinner: half of our group thought it overdone in one respect or another (too tiring to drink essentially); others, including myself. thought its scale wonderfully correct in intensity and not overwrought with extract, alcohol, oak or tannin. Probably the finest Pagani Ranch I've tasted since the '91 and '92 releases. I'm buying a few more, quickly. Bottle #2 of six.
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Deep, dark red with purple tints. Bright aroma of red, blue, and black berry compote. Grape notes on the palate give way to red, blue, and black berry elements with some jam, licorice, and spice notes creeping in on a medium-long finish. This doesn't show overt heat right now on the palate, but goes right to your head with its extra strength. Needs to integrate and develop for my tastes. Resample in 2013.
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Dark Magenta. Classic Old vines Zinfandel. Rich, ripe, brambly zin nose with a hint of root vegetables. Smoky, ripe and juicy dark berries on the palate. Almost liquer-like. Good underlying acidity and follow through. Delicious now but wait another 5-7 years and this will develop even more complexity and exhibit more chocolate and soil overtones. Having had several of Ridge's Pagani zins, this is sure to age nicely for atleast a decade.
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Dark red-purple. Powerful, distinctive nose of black cherry, American oak pickle barrel, celery. Medium-high tannin, medium acidity. A big wine but not in over-fruited gob-smacker territory, there's tons of fruit and structure here, in wonderful harmony, in balance. Huge finish. This Pagani is the best since the '92 (no small feat), and yet it reminds me more of the original '91 bottling that grabbed our attention. Bottle #1 of six.
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Unlike most other Ridge Zins I've had in that this was almost a fruit bomb....though not in a bad way.
Nose of black pepper, some cinnamon dark fruit and touch of plum. Good, concentrated wine with the fruit really shining on the palate. Full bodied, but not overly done. Long, spicy finish with great acidity which keeps this very refreshing and a joy to drink. Holds it's almost 15% ABV very well. This is very enjoyable right now, though I'm sure it will get better as time passes.
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Bright and full berry fruit on the nose and palate. Ripe and vibrant. I actually thought the acidity levels were good. It's a little disjointed out of the gate, with alcohol, oak, and tannins all poking through the wine. However, with a few hours of air this started smoothing out and coming together. I'd hold for at least a few years in order to drink this at it's best.
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Very nice fruit, does not show the 15% abv, deep palate, good finish. Prefer the 2007 and this seems to have less aging potential than that one, but it is a very nice bottle that can complement a strongly flavored meal and drink well by itself.
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This wine is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. It was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Mike Christensen. Opaque black/purple robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of black cherry, marzipan, vanilla and black pepper. Full-bodied and massively-extracted on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and flavors in line with the nose. The alcohol (listed as 15%) and oak are a bit over-the-top, although not as bothersome to me as to many of the tasters. The middle palate is solid and the medium-length finish ends with a fair amount of heat. Drink now-12/15.
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I had at ZAP back in January and it was the wine of the day. Had again at the winery and it was very good but youthful. It's drinking great but with some time is going to be something special.
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7/2/2022 - jnewman77 wrote:
Served with smoked ribs; this was tasty; the nose still had a bit of oak, but followed by blackberry jam, a hint of spice, and a bit of herbs. The palate is big and the alcohol is not subtle, but it is still all in a smooth package. Good with the ribs.
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6/5/2020 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
I don't drink much Zin these days, but this was really quite a nice example of mature zinfandel. The nose shows rich dark fruit, a bit of spice, a hint of leather, and some floral notes. The palate, while big, bold, and rich, doesn't feel too hot (just a hint of heat which I thought would be more) and has reasonable acidity. This paired quite nicely with some smoked ribs and would be a good partner for many things off the grill.
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4/12/2020 - timewithwine wrote:
This bottle does not taste like the same bottle as its sisters. Definitely something off on this bottle. At first I thought it was corked, but there was no crescendo of TCA funk building as the wine collected air. But it consistently tasted dull and lacked focus ,,, and yes, had that TCA cardboard and wet fur aspect. The blend consists of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. A heavy shadow of sediment surrounds the neck of the bottle. We had also pulled a Pagani ‘09 to taste along side this bottle. The ‘09 was a clear winnner. 15% alc. With pork BBQ on Covid-19 lockdown Easter day. No Recommendation due to being an off bottle.
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5/18/2019 - jschoenau wrote: 92 Points
Ready to drink
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3/1/2019 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 91 Points
Plenty of juicy red fruit. Seems to have plenty of time left.
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1/15/2019 - brian przyzycki wrote: 91 Points
I stand firmly behind my cellar and it's provenance. These are just starting to raisin and prune. Notably worse as the bottle was open. DRINK UP!
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12/14/2018 - Ed B wrote: 91 Points
Splash decanted for 30 minutes and drank over next 2 hours. Huge nose of strawberry while decanting. Great example of a mature Zinfandel. Complex mix of spices and of red and dark fruits. Smooth.
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5/29/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyable zin, but disappointing based on my notes from one year ago (94). Perhaps, there has been some bottle variation in this wine. The fruit seemed to be drying out a bit, and the wine more one dimensional. One more bottle left in the cellar, and I'm drinking it over the next 12 months.
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3/4/2018 - timewithwine wrote:
On the second night of the fantastic blackberry Zin short ribs, we pulled the wine actually recommended for this recipe - a Ridge Pagani. This is my first impression of the ‘08 bottling. The blend consists of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. The rhubarb is not as dominant as I would have thought, but it does present. More bright cherry, plum and brown sugar with a few sprinkles of cinnamon and coffee. The dusty tannins are fully integrated. This is very much ready to drink and enjoy. A shadow of sediment surrounds the neck of the bottle. 15% alc. With (beef) shortribs (with a recipe from Ridge) (We had the 07 Pagani with a G&G recipe!). Recommended.
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1/2/2018 - Ed B wrote:
PnP. Opened up quickly, but plenty of life left. No hurray.
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12/27/2017 - Alro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Holy smokes! Zin ages SO well when properly stored (and of course well made)
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7/7/2017 - btock Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fully mature zin. Still plush red fruit but at peak. Nice complexity, bit of bramble and earth, fruit more in the pomegranate and red plum zone. Drink now.
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5/19/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, this full bodied zin is showing very well now. Deep, rich fruits, blackberries, black cherries, and hints of licorice. Still deep in color, this is a well balanced wine with a long finish. Impressive! I think this is probably at it's peak, but I'm going to wait a year or two before drinking my next bottle. No doubt that Ridge zinfandels can age...
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1/8/2017 - KayS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous. Pagani Ranch has always been my favorite. Rich, smooth, so wish I had more.
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1/8/2017 - Bradlundquist Likes this wine: 93 Points
Finally opened my third, and last bottle of 08 Ridge Pagani Ranch. First bottle we had in 2013. We were afraid that a zin wouldnt hold up much past 5 years, so we opened the second in 2014. The wine was so powerful that I decided that the final bottle should be cellared several years. Fast forward:the wine is showing beautifully, but is at peak. The huge body and spicy, acidity I first tasted has given way to more subtle, aged Bordeaux character, but with an extra Zin kick. The tannins have smoothed, oak is toned down and more balanced.
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12/26/2016 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp. Improved with air. Or I thought so. Table wasn't sure. Very popular wine. Everyone else would have scored it higher. I think it's in a good spot but could have some aging potential. I'm drinking the rest of mine. Fruit, balance, power. Got it all.
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6/27/2016 - Mr T wrote:
Drunk over several nights...this is surprisingly ripe to me....very full and a tad over the top for me
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4/28/2016 - wilypod Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark translucent pomegranate red. Concentration. Fruity. Evolved notes of smokey cherries and raspberries, roasted coconut, POM juice, dill-garrigue, and cassis -- all of which are very attractive, but there is some weediness as well, so it misses out on a much higher score. Lots of body and an intense rendition of its aromas, quite weighty as in raspberry liqueur rather than raspberry jam, so there was a good base of tannin, and there is a lot of relief and lift to the palate. Liqueur-like length. 5 + 12+ 17 + 7
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2/2/2016 - blanquito wrote:
Crazy new oak filling up the bouquet, all anise liqueur, char, and toasted coconut. Not my thing. Shame, the palate is terrific, lots of cool, silky fruit with well-judged acid. Actually pretty dry by Ridge standards with a nice tangy finish. The oak could integrate eventually, making this a lip smacking pleasure to drink. Oakphobes need to avoid for a while though.
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12/20/2015 - Mr T wrote:
PNP and pretty tasty and shared at a party so gone in a heartbeat
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12/6/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Still a deep dark garnet color. A brambly nose and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, along with spice, black and white pepper, oak. Full bodied, rich and intense fruit. Tannins are more resolved now, but still slightly apparent. Good acid and structure. Nice finish. Still has a year or so left for appreciation. Paired nicely with hamburger with roasted mushrooms and onions. Score 92-93.
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11/20/2014 - Uncle John wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour and this was best after 2. Dark Fruit and spice with medium tannins make this a really nice bottle. Had this after the 07 Lytton and I got more depth on the Pagani.
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10/5/2014 - jmottern Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great nose that forecast a wonderful sophisticated zinfandel mix. Complicated blueberry/strawberry fruit with a slightly sweet up-tempo finish. WOW what a nice wine!!!!
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8/21/2014 - stevenjstein wrote: flawed
Spicy fruit, but bottle was a bit corked
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8/6/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last bottle of the '08 and it was a nice one. Consistent with previous notes. This has loads of red and black fruit combined with some cinnamon and spice notes, and a nice texture. This does veer toward being a bit sweet and jammy, but does not come across as over the top and alcoholic. I pairs well with BBQ. For those who tend to only like savory wines, this probably would not appeal. But very good for the style.
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6/13/2014 - jmottern Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a very nice zinfandel. Good nose followed by soft but balanced complex fruit with a smooth finish.
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6/12/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted over an hour but probably needs to sit over a day or two at this point. Nice fruit but much more integrated and complex on day 2.
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4/19/2014 - Decanthor Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is finally ready to drink. Decant for 30 minutes (and also for sediment) and it will open up nicely. Delicious on the nose and the palate without being overly jammy. Good balance and paired well with our steak.
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2/28/2014 - jmottern Likes this wine: 89 Points
A nice bottle of wine that appears to nearing maturity. A little spice and a nice finish.
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1/2/2014 - wadcorp Likes this wine:
Consistent with earlier bottle.
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12/13/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was awesome. Luscious dark fruits balanced by lots of baking spices. Really delicious. Has smoothed out a bit since we had it a year or so ago. K really liked this a lot. Just enough acidity to keep it from being gloppy, and also paired pretty well with Italian food. But really enjoyable on its own too. Heat from the alcohol is not noticeable but peeks out a bit as this warms up above 65 deg. Best served at cellar temperature. Wish I had more than one more bottle and hope that the 09 is nearly as good. I love the fact that these Ridge zins benefit from some bottle age.
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11/22/2013 - twoamps wrote: 90 Points
nice slightly older Ridge zin. Nice fruit, peppery and spicy, and a finish that's rounded off the sharp edges nicely since the first bottle. One of those "Oh, that's right, THIS is why we keep buying Ridge zin" bottles. Which is saying something, since Pagani is about #3 or #4 in my personal Ridge pecking order, after Lytton Springs, Geyserville, and some years, York Creek. Drink in the next year or so.
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10/5/2013 - PeterM12 wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit, great full body zin. Should decant for at least 30 minutes to an hour to realize the wine's full potential.
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7/22/2013 - que syrah syrah wrote: 90 Points
In 4/2011 I purchased several cases of the 2008 Ridge Zins and Zin blends with the hope that these wines would live up to their 90+ ratings; well they do. Just over two years since I last drank a Pagani Ranch and they could not be drinking any better than now. Gone is the slightly sweet, jammy wine noted previously (7/13/11 note) replaced with a finely textured wine with just a hint of heat when opened, more spice and herb than fruit, a super long finish, and a hint of cooked fruit which leads me to think the wine may not make it to a 2019 "drink by" date.
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7/8/2013 - brian przyzycki wrote: 93 Points
Just an awesome Zin.....paired well with the bet ribs I ever smoked. Very long finish that completely hides the high alcohol content. Knocked me on my a$$. Really glad I have more.....this wine is special.
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6/26/2013 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 88 Points
This wine has softened a great deal over the past year and now has the flavor and taste that go along with the expectations of a Ridge Zinfandel. Not nearly the heat this had a year ago. Lot's of cherry and other red fruit.
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3/2/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped into the Enomatic and tasted several times over the course of a week in different contexts. Overall, I think the CT scores here are about right. This has loads of black and red fruit, a nice viscous mouthfeel, and clear baking spice notes (incl cinnamon) on the finish. The acidity is adequate to keep it from feeling gloppy, and the tannins are noticeable but not bitter or aggressive. The 15.0% alcohol peeks out in some contexts, especially as this warms up above around 65 deg. I recommend drinking it around 60 deg. 20-30 minutes of air definitely helped this open up and round out.
We initially had this with chicken cacciatore and that was not a good pairing. This wine was way too big for that dish and the acidity of the tomato sauce did not mesh well with the wine. The alcohol was really apparent in this food pairing. A week later, we had this again with slow-cooked beef short ribs in a mushroom and onion sauce over mashed potatoes, and that was a great pairing for this wine. I also find this wine very pleasant just to drink on its own (at the right temperature).
Overall, quite good stuff. Have 2 bottles left and there is no rush on them. This is fine to drink now but I think another couple of years in the cellar will smooth it out a bit and probably do it good. Would buy again at $30, and will be looking for some of the 2010 as I already have 09s in the cellar. Ridge is a great producer. Among my recent Ridge experiences, I did like the 09 Geyserville better than this overall, however.
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11/19/2012 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
A racy style from Ridge. The nose was incredible, pepper everywhere. A wine that is better young in my opinion. 1st of two thanksgiving dinners. 91/92
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11/16/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium red color. Aromas of roasted cherry, vanilla, raspberry jam, and dust. Palate has some roasted, gritty tannins that integrate with air time. Flavors are bright, red fruit with some cooked fruit elements, vanilla, and some grape elements that carry into the medium-long finish. Needs time to integrate and develop, but drinkable now. Drink or hold.
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10/27/2012 - wadcorp wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful wine. Ridge always performs well. Cherry, currant, a little mocha, some nice black pepper & spice notes. This clocks in at 15% alcohol, but doesn't come across so high. Drink now or in the next two years. (39 views)
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10/25/2012 - WDSteers wrote: 91 Points
rich deep berry flavor with long finish and good acidity
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9/1/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Very good wine but will age the other three bottles for several years.
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8/11/2012 - Decanthor wrote: 89 Points
This is indeed a big wine. But then again, so are many other wines from California. Knowing this, I paired it with some steaks. It has a nice nose, full body, dark fruits + some oak, and enough strength to compete with a well-seasoned rib-eye. However, it falls short on flavor, complexity, and the WOW factor that many 90+ Cali wines have. It was a very good wine, but I was expecting a great wine.
The wine was allowed to breathe for about 60 minutes. It opened up a bit during that time. By 1.5 hour mark, it was fully consumed bu guests. I would say it went from an 87 to 89 during that time. I think this can improve a bit, but I cannot conceive of it reaching a score of 94 or the type of complexity mentioned by a certain professional reviewer. I will wait another year or so before opening up my second bottle. Lets see what happens then.
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8/6/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Big wine that needs to decant and has aging potential. Still quite good.
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7/25/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Big rich wine that needs to breathe for a few hours. Morphs into a very good Ca zin
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7/20/2012 - krhaugh wrote: 86 Points
Too much heat. Too much alchohol. Wife loves it, not in my wheel house. Even after decanting for a few hours, this one just never smooth's out. Not impressed.
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7/18/2012 - jmottern wrote: 92 Points
Tasty and enjoyable with salid and spicy meats.
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6/17/2012 - jmottern wrote: 94 Points
What a great wine! Good nose but beter fruit. Note to myself: buy more of this soon.
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5/28/2012 - wagging_tail wrote: 92 Points
Great twist on the traditional ridge Zin, blend gives character - drinking well now - needs time 2-3 hrs open
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5/22/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 90 Points
Moderate nose of sweet black fruits, white pepper, and earth. Medium body blackberry, black cherry, vanilla and white pepper. Medium finish.
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3/23/2012 - jmottern wrote: 93 Points
Classic zinfandel fruit with a bit of spice. The second serving several days later was even better.
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2/26/2012 - flyinburrito wrote: 95 Points
Concentrated inky purple with beautiful bright dark ruby highlights. This is pure, clean, rich zinfandel at its best. Manages to display beautiful high pitched flower notes with deep, earthy, concentrated dark berry aromas and flavors. Very deep and solid. This wine means business. For me, this bottling takes the lead in 2008 out of Ridge's top three, the others of course being Lytton Springs and Geyserville.
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1/1/2012 - Omadobs wrote: 89 Points
It has me wondering when Ridge picked this zin versus their "late harvest" zin. I'm guessing maybe 12.5 hours as this is definitely porty. Good fruit, but a bit...did I say "porty" already?!? Still, solid bottle of wine. If you want to have fun, it's even better as a blending wine. Have a slightly thin zin or simple petite syrah? Add a dollop of Pagani! Your merlot tasting bland once again (for the 52nd straight week)? Add a smidge of Pagani. Your Two-Buck Chuck just not doing it for you this evening? The Pagani and you deserve better, so don't bother. Switch back to Bud Light and consider yourself an informed consumer.
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12/13/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
Still purple at the rim; deep dark garnet color. Aromas of brambly fruit (blackberry & raspberry), black cherry, spice, black pepper, oak. Same robust flavors. A smooth, jammy, rich fruit concentration in the mouth. I get a long spicy finish. Paired very nicely with a spicy pork sausage dish prepared by my wife.
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10/9/2011 - deadsetonred wrote: 93 Points
- Violet color.
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10/2/2011 - cooberp wrote: 88 Points
Dark, spicy, ripe, sweet, some oak, full bordering on heavy. Blackberry and blueberry. Nice mouthfeel. Not much structure or complexity but you don't turn to Zinfandel for that. Maybe a bit pricey for a monochromatic wine.
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9/16/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Nice and should improve over time. Dark in color with aromas of floral, spice, blueberries and sour cherry. Medium to long finish and showing good acidity.
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8/27/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Zindfandel and Ribfest 2011 (Judith's House): Dark red/purple color. 2.5 hour decant, and needed a little more to fully open. Blend of 85% Zin, 10% Alicante and 5% Petit Sirah. Nose is blackberry preserves, some blueberry, kirsch, oak. This palate on this seemed a bit lighter initially, but seemed to round up quite a bit after about an additional 30 minutes. Nice core of black fruits, blackberry and black cherry, some spices and oak on the medium plus finish. Started a bit slower than the Geyserville, but then really began to shine. This was my #2 WOTN and group #2 WOTN with 75% of the second place votes.
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8/14/2011 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terrific Zin. Layers and layers of rich fruit. As it opened up, some spice notes also emerged that were nice. Don't get me wrong, the fruit is fully in charge here, but I can see where this will balance out and show some nice secondaries over time. Right now, it is still extremely enjoyable for its power, pureness, and richness. Paired well with pizza. Will buy more fur sure if I can still get it.
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8/13/2011 - brian przyzycki wrote: 93 Points
Wow...what a powder keg! Awesome blackfruits, bramble, and smooth as a baby's ass. Best zin I have had in a VERY long time. Served with chimichura grilled pork tenderloin.
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8/11/2011 - pkatz wrote: 93 Points
Another excellent 2008 from Ridge. Back to their great form. Some hints of oxidation after an hour or two. Drink up.
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7/13/2011 - que syrah syrah Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich, full bodied, dark purple, fruit and spice on the nose and palate, very nicely balanced with an excellent finish. While currently a little on the sweet, jammy side, another year or two in the bottle will hopefully bring out the full potential of this wine. Drank with a spicy Mexican lasagna (black beans, salsa, chicken, cheese, tortillas and few other items) and the wine stood up to it and balanced the meal nicely.
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7/2/2011 - MoTheMan wrote: 91 Points
Was served at a dinner party, a wine lover's friend's house 3 nights ago.
Dark, inky, purple-garnet in color & viscosity.
Deep nose spicy wet underbrush & los of subtle fruits.
A bit hot & tight on the nose which also came across on the palate.
Lots of deep fruits (red & black berries), curants, spiciness & herbal notes.
OK!?
Now here's what I think. The wine did evolve in the glass & started to show very nice & well integrated flavors of fruits, spicines, and terroir character.
Full bodied, rich, and well balanced wth a good finish.
BUT . . . it did take almost two hours to start showing that . . . and I felt that its potential lays way off still at least 2-3 years away.
Easily capable of reaching the WS 92pts/WA 94pts that it has received . . . but NOT right now.
Needs age . . . so am gonna pick up a couple of bottles & lay them down a while!!
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6/9/2011 - Chili wrote: 88 Points
Lush but balanced and jumped up right by teds saltimbucco
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6/9/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Tasted immediately after opening. Very dark purple, almost black. Nose of bramble, tar and ripe black fruit. Lush blackberry, black cherry and spice. Medium texture that carries the weight of the impressive fruit well. Good balance and a long finish. Exemplary Zinfandel. Best of the year so far.
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6/6/2011 - Hodby wrote: 92 Points
Purple color. Richly-oaked and pushing super-ripe cherry fruit and cinnamon aromas into your face; it borders on an assault. Medium tannin, medium low acidity. A mild alcohol burn on the palate. This wine proved to be a room divider at dinner: half of our group thought it overdone in one respect or another (too tiring to drink essentially); others, including myself. thought its scale wonderfully correct in intensity and not overwrought with extract, alcohol, oak or tannin. Probably the finest Pagani Ranch I've tasted since the '91 and '92 releases. I'm buying a few more, quickly. Bottle #2 of six.
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6/5/2011 - fredb Likes this wine:
Deep, dark red with purple tints. Bright aroma of red, blue, and black berry compote. Grape notes on the palate give way to red, blue, and black berry elements with some jam, licorice, and spice notes creeping in on a medium-long finish. This doesn't show overt heat right now on the palate, but goes right to your head with its extra strength. Needs to integrate and develop for my tastes. Resample in 2013.
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6/3/2011 - flyinburrito wrote: 92 Points
Dark Magenta. Classic Old vines Zinfandel. Rich, ripe, brambly zin nose with a hint of root vegetables. Smoky, ripe and juicy dark berries on the palate. Almost liquer-like. Good underlying acidity and follow through. Delicious now but wait another 5-7 years and this will develop even more complexity and exhibit more chocolate and soil overtones. Having had several of Ridge's Pagani zins, this is sure to age nicely for atleast a decade.
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5/8/2011 - Hodby wrote: 93 Points
Dark red-purple. Powerful, distinctive nose of black cherry, American oak pickle barrel, celery. Medium-high tannin, medium acidity. A big wine but not in over-fruited gob-smacker territory, there's tons of fruit and structure here, in wonderful harmony, in balance. Huge finish. This Pagani is the best since the '92 (no small feat), and yet it reminds me more of the original '91 bottling that grabbed our attention. Bottle #1 of six.
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4/4/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
Rich, deep, balanced and delicious! Still young.
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3/20/2011 - yonster24 wrote:
Unlike most other Ridge Zins I've had in that this was almost a fruit bomb....though not in a bad way.
Nose of black pepper, some cinnamon dark fruit and touch of plum. Good, concentrated wine with the fruit really shining on the palate. Full bodied, but not overly done. Long, spicy finish with great acidity which keeps this very refreshing and a joy to drink. Holds it's almost 15% ABV very well. This is very enjoyable right now, though I'm sure it will get better as time passes.
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1/26/2011 - Jab_343434 wrote: 90 Points
I though this was a good wine. Good fruit, nice finish.
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1/18/2011 - mblecher wrote: 91 Points
Rich, layered, smooth - a great fruit bomb!
Drunk 1/16/11 at Jacob's - bought from Binny's.
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12/18/2010 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Bright and full berry fruit on the nose and palate. Ripe and vibrant. I actually thought the acidity levels were good. It's a little disjointed out of the gate, with alcohol, oak, and tannins all poking through the wine. However, with a few hours of air this started smoothing out and coming together. I'd hold for at least a few years in order to drink this at it's best.
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11/26/2010 - Rechrom wrote: 90 Points
Very nice fruit, does not show the 15% abv, deep palate, good finish. Prefer the 2007 and this seems to have less aging potential than that one, but it is a very nice bottle that can complement a strongly flavored meal and drink well by itself.
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11/12/2010 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 86 Points
This wine is a blend of 85% Zinfandel, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. It was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Mike Christensen. Opaque black/purple robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of black cherry, marzipan, vanilla and black pepper. Full-bodied and massively-extracted on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and flavors in line with the nose. The alcohol (listed as 15%) and oak are a bit over-the-top, although not as bothersome to me as to many of the tasters. The middle palate is solid and the medium-length finish ends with a fair amount of heat. Drink now-12/15.
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11/9/2010 - gjv115 wrote: 92 Points
I had at ZAP back in January and it was the wine of the day. Had again at the winery and it was very good but youthful. It's drinking great but with some time is going to be something special.
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10/22/2010 - ethralls wrote: 90 Points
Works well with grilled NY strip and grilled ceased salad
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9/9/2010 - tbailey540 wrote: 90 Points
cherries raspberries dark fruits, little cedar wood on the nose
Mouth full of dark fruits and raspberry
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